Mice are wonderfull creatures. When kept in a cage. Running rampant among the house is not pleasent though. If your using a kill trap put a cheerio in the holder and than cover the part on the bottom with peanut butter. The mouse wont be able to pull the cheerio out with out setting off the trap. If using a have a heart trap you can use just about anything that would atract it. If you can find the spot where is is coming in your house fill the hole with steel wool. They cant chew through it because it cuts up thier gums. Also you can put fresh mint leaves in problem areas. For some reason that discourages them.

A real small piece of cheese pushed into the bait holder, so they can't get it out. I had a rat {there are no mice as far as I am concerned} in my kitchen a few years ago and put one of those sticky trays out. I heard this awful noise, I would not open the cabinet, but had my husband do it. There were ten babies on that tray. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

well, it's gonna get crunched, so you might as well use creamy. sorry, DoGoneIt, couldnt' help myself. i agree with the peanut butter idea; my pet rat used to love the stuff. we had a rat in our house as well, and had to use a trap. it was so sad, i couldn't help but feel bad for the guy, he got squarshed. only difference is i made my bf do all the nasty work. is there anyone that can come over and throw out the trap for you? that is the hard part, if you ask me. it can be kinda messy. sheesh, don't you love how i seem to make it worse??? =( good luck, it will all be over soon!

I am doing the wrong thing...I can't go through with it. For one...the image that is left in my head now is of a little tiny white mouse being crunched/squashed/masaquered to death. And...he's going to leave a mess behind and perhaps babies?????????

I did a thorough search tonight (AGAIN) and I haven't found one single mouse dropping since the 6th. 3 days ago...You think he's gone??

I am just a sissy..I should probably just get it over and done with, but I can't bring myself to do it. :o(

**Edit....Oh and BTW..I have always considered Stuart to be a "he" and never thought about the baby thing. Dang it! What should I do?

Oh Bessie look what you've gone and done! I just hope that mouse's babies (and all of the brotheres, sisters and cousins that are also living in Doggoneit's house!), don't find their way to your house next!!

I can only laugh about all of this because the little "darling" is not in my house...if it were, I'd be in a hotel until my dh could provide proof that it, and all of its little comrades were kaput!

Doggoneit, a mouse does not leave your house on its own...it (and its family--they are NOT solitary creatures) has a lovely, warm little abode there with lots of yummy crumbs to feast on. It may have gotten a little smarter about where to leave its evidence, but it has not ventured out into the chilly winter just because of some Clorox in your kitchen. Go with the peanut butter, Hon, and find someone to empty the traps for you...then get some rest! You didn't purposely hunt the little creature down in order to 86 him...HE came into YOUR house, crawled on your countertops, ate your food and used your kitchen for his toilet. Break out the peanut butter :)

DoGoneIt, now i feel terrible! =( i'm sorry, i didn't mean to make it worse. i just know that sometimes it isn't as simple as it seems, and there is no way i could do it myself. shoot, what do i do know? where are the rescue rangers when you need them? i am not going to mention one more thing lest i make your situation even worse, boo hoo. =(

Moencat...you really opened up my eyes...deep down I knew he wasn't gone..I think I was just making excuses for him. I bet he is staring at me this moment laughing with all of his little buddies. I know I have to do it...I just need someone to loan me their guts for a few days. Peanut butter it is. Sigh

Bessie...lol with our without your commentary, I would have been back and forth anyway. You only just made me read what I already knew..it's Ok Bessie..don't feel bad...it's gotta be done. Hmmph!

Well Dogoneit.... You are not alone....yesterday the mice started to become brave and started just running around peeking from under the couch , watching me cook dinner from next to the frig. skooting around the dogs and my son playing on the floor.......MIND YOU I AM A CLEAN FANATIC!!!! and this is driving me nuts!!!!!!!!!!

Well Sorry all ... IT IS WAR!!!!!!!! I have set out all the traps only to watch the little sucker sit on top of the trap and eat the peanut butter off !!!!!! and he is still alive.

My husband even caught him in his hands at one time only to drop and send him on his way. If it were not for the dogs I would be packing up and going to my parents B&B til they are gone ..

Gonna try the cheerio on the peanut butter trap thing or I am gonna get out my husbands black powder gun and go hunting next.

As hard as it may be for you.......you really should take whatever means possible to get rid of the mouse. If you leave it, and there are babies, you are going to have a HEAP of trouble on your hands. They multiply very quickly.

I use bologna in mouse traps. Perhaps it's best if you have your husband or someone else set it. The traditional traps can be dangerous. If you set it off they can break your fingers. Also, the mouse will more than likely squeal very loudly when it sets the trap off. I have even had times where the trap only caught their leg. You have to get to them quick because they will chew their leg off to get out of the trap. Then you're back to square one.......except with a crippled mouse.

As big as your heart is.....look at it this way. Mice are notorious for carrying disease. They can spread to your pets, kids......your whole family. They can spread disease by simply walking on your countertops....and then you laying food on them without wiping them down. Most germs cannot be truly killed without being covered in bleach for 20 minutes. So many people wipe down counters with a bleach solution.......unless it remains on there for 20 minutes it does no good.

Here's what mice can do for you:

(1) They can act as passive carriers of infective organisms carried on their bodies.

(2) They can pass infective organisms through their bodies without multiplying them and excrete them in urine or faeces - rats urinate almost continuously.

(3) Pathogens can multiply in their bodies, leading to an increased infective dose, or possibly acting as a long-term reservoir.

(4) They can damage the structure of a building leading to excessive environmental variation precipitating disease:

(a) Eating insulation in walls in houses leading to low temperatures and coli scours.

"The traditional traps can be dangerous. If you set it off they can break your fingers. Also, the mouse will more than likely squeal very loudly when it sets the trap off. I have even had times where the trap only caught their leg. You have to get to them quick because they will chew their leg off to get out of the trap. Then you're back to square one.......except with a crippled mouse. "

Well, Bessie..I think you have been outbeat! I seriously just don't know what to do.

Here is my question..it is Jan 11, as of Jan 6, I have not seen even 1 little mouse turd. I'm full aware that you guys are not mouse experts, but enlighten me if you can...Is he gone???? I think so, otherwise I'd see some signs of him, right?

I know, I know...I should be on the safe side and set out the traps....but breaking one of my fingers, hearing a squealing mouse, finding a leg in the trap and nothing else, a blood trail down my counter...Yeah..I just don't think I can do it. I will continue to hunt for the humane traps.

Ansy...I don't know whether to "lol" or scream...thanks for that bit of info though...and believe me, DH would have this all under control if he were here. Perhaps the war in Iraq is a little more important than the war with this mouse? :o)~

Kitty...once I catch this mouse (if in a humane way) he will become a pet.

BTW..Jubilee..I don't envy your position..I'd much rather have it where I don't see him...If he's been under my couch peeking out at me...I do believe that things would be totally different (I say that, but who knows if I'd actually go through with it) A mouse is a mouse is a mouse...

Are you guys getting tired of my mouse problem?? lol I know..it's been ongoing for a week and I've been back and forth as to kill him or not, and honestly I'm still confused.

If..and that's a big IF...I set out the kill traps,

1. Will I really hear him squeal?

2. What's the likelyhood of him chewing his leg off?

3. How long will it take him to die?

4. Are they hard to use?

5. Will there be a big mess? (I.E. guts, blood..etc, sorry to be graphic)

6. If I decide to use it, how long do you think it'll take before I get him?

I really need to know this...for anyone that has used these types of traps before..please tell me honestly...even if you think it is going to sway me to keeping him alive...I just need to know. Thanks Again...